App SUPERCASA - 探索你的新家
App SUPERCASA
探索你的新家
打开
App SUPERCASA - 探索你的新家
App SUPERCASA
探索你的新家
打开
房地产市场新闻
类别
Real estate

Heating your home in an economical and sustainable way

22 四月 2022
话题
Destaque Notícia Homepage Casas Sustentáveis Sustentabilidade Eficiencia Energetica
There are several possibilities to heat your home in a smart and economical way. Discover the best sustainable home heating alternatives.
Heating your home in an economical and sustainable way
There are several possibilities for heating your house intelligently and economically, which depend, above all, on what you want to use it for and how much you are willing to spend to keep your house warm.

First of all, it is worth analyzing the windows and doors and realizing if they allow cold to enter and heat to leave, you are hardly going to have a warm house efficiently. If this is the case, you should caulk the windows and doors, thus minimizing the entry of air. You should also solve the insulation of the walls and roofs of your house before making any other investment in air conditioning. 

With this problem taken care of, there are several options when it comes to heating. 

#1. Oil heaters and fan heaters
Regardless of whether you live in a house or an apartment, the most immediate selection always seems to be the same: oil heaters or fan heaters. They are the cheapest and easiest to transport between rooms. They always do their job, keeping the house relatively warm, although they heat one or another room, take some time to warm up (in the case of oil heaters) and are noisy (in the case of fan heaters).

However, although they are often seen as the less expensive alternative, in reality, energy costs are high and can add several hundred euros to your monthly electricity bill. 

If the device is only turned on for two hours a night in one room, you won't spend much energy; however, if the idea is to have several rooms heated all night, the bill will increase, and may reach more than one hundred euros per month.

The best thing is to do the math and see if it doesn't pay to invest in a more efficient alternative, such as air conditioning. The initial investment may be higher, but the monthly bills will be lower. 

If you only want a very occasional use in a small room, this may still be the best option for you. 

#2. Gas heaters 
For those who do not want to make a large initial investment, this type of heater is an alternative to oil heaters. Gas heaters are faster to heat, since they are more powerful and easily heat a room.

However, it is necessary to replace the gas cylinder when it runs out. The biggest drawback lies in safety, since even though the most modern appliances are equipped with better safety systems, you still have a gas canister in an enclosed space. 

In this sense, it is necessary to have the house ventilated to avoid high concentrations of carbon monoxide. This is a colorless and odorless gas, but toxic when concentrated, and can even cause death by inhalation. 

It is not recommended to use it in bedrooms or anywhere else you sleep.

Finally, it is not true that these appliances are more economical: the kWh cost of butane gas is higher than that of electricity, and the efficiency of these appliances is lower. 

#3. Fireplace, salamander or stove 
For those who live in villas, this will probably be the cheapest choice, if you have access to free wood. However, the reality for most Portuguese is that they live in apartments in cities or in villas on land without trees.

In these situations, you should consider replacing firewood with pellets, a renewable, carbon-neutral biofuel in the form of a pressed pellet made from leaf debris, sawdust, and wood chips. 

If you have a fireplace, you should pay special attention to the ventilation of your home, as well as the fume extraction.

The emissions from fireplaces are highly polluting to the environment and to your lungs, as you breathe in the particles released by the smoke on a daily basis.
The stoves, in their different versions, are more compact, require less maintenance effort and their performance is superior.

As for heat stoves, they make it possible to retain a greater amount of heat, using 50% to 70% of the energy, and have a low CO₂ emission.

Common to these three pieces of equipment is the price of acquisition and installation, which is relatively high. 

#4. Central heating through gas boilers 
This is the most comfortable possibility and the one that guarantees you a warmer home, entirely, without giving rise to any physical or health discomfort. However, the costs are high, not only for installation but also for monthly gas bills, particularly if it is propane or butane gas, which are more expensive, unlike natural gas which is cheaper than electricity.

The latest condensing boiler models are very efficient, leading to savings at the end of the month. But, the installation, if not from scratch (when building or rebuilding the house) is complicated. 

#5. Air conditioning 
Air conditioning is increasingly the heating of choice, both for houses and apartments. It is one of the most efficient systems, and can be used all year round, making it possible to control the desired temperature and keep it constant whenever you want. 

On cold days, it heats the house very quickly, generating a cozy environment. In summer, it makes it possible to cool your home effectively and combat the discomfort caused by excessive heat. 

Modern air conditioning models do not consume much energy when compared to other alternatives, and have no health risks as long as you maintain and clean the filters annually. 

The only disadvantage is that this type of heating has initial costs: they can be a bit more expensive to install compared to other solutions.

However, it's worth doing the math, because the initial investment is soon dissipated and you can gain a lot in comfort and quality of life. 

Best choice for heating your home
First of all, it is necessary to caulk and/or replace doors and windows, since this is a mandatory condition for any HVAC system to work in the most effective way. Subsequently, it is then time to choose the best solution for your home and your family.

Doing the math, the most complete, efficient, and transversal solution not only throughout the house, but also throughout the year is, without a doubt, air conditioning. It is true that, for those who have access to free wood (especially in houses), stoves are an economical solution; and that central heating is very effective in keeping your home warm. 

However, only air conditioning can heat and cool your home - and is therefore a year-round appliance - economically and without major impacts on the monthly bill (the largest investment is in the installation). And it is a heating solution that is suitable for both houses and apartments.
话题
Destaque Notícia Homepage Casas Sustentáveis Sustentabilidade Eficiencia Energetica
你想收到最新的超级新闻吗?
pixel pixel